Machine for making nonmetallic shank stiffeners



W. H. NICKERSON MACHINE FOR MAKING NGNMETALLIC SHANK STFFENERS Nov. 30,1026. 1,608,907

Filed Jan. 29, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 30 1926;

W. H. NICKERSON MACHINE FOR MAKING NONMETALLIG SHANK STIFFENERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29. 1926 www ffw Nov. 30 1926. 1,608,907

w. H. NlcKERsoN MACHINE FOR MAKING NNMETALLIG SHANK STIFFENERS Filed Jan. 29, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mmlmn mm Patented Nov. 30, 1926.

WILLIAM H. NICKERSON, 0F BROOKLNE, MASSACHUSETTS;

MACHINE FOR MAKING NONMETAIJLIG SHANK. S'IIFFENERS.

Application filed January 29, 1926, Serial No. 34,660.

This invention relates to shoe-shank stiffeners usually made of wood, each stiifener being oblong, its longitudinal edges being formed by transversely grooving or scoring a strip or ribbon. of wood: of indeterminate length to sever from the strip an oblong section of suitable size for a shank stiffener, the length off which` is determined by the width of the strip. The strip is usually molded before it is cut up intorstiffeners, so that one side` has a salient curvature, and the other side a reentrant curvature, a stiftener cut from the strip being therefore, longitudinally curved or arched, one side having asalient,` and the opposite side a reentrant, longitudinali curvature.

The object ofthe invention is to provide a simple and effective machine, adapted to rapidly cut up a strip characterized as above stated, into longitudinally curved or slightly arched shank` st-iffeners, the form of the curved sides of the stiffeners being determined by theform of the sides of the strip, While the form of tlielongit-udinal edges of the stiffeners is determined by grooving cutters which. sever the strip.

Of theaccompanying drawings forming a partr of this specification embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figur-e 3 is a sideview ofthe machine.

Figure a is a fragmentary section on line i-it of Figure 2,A and a top plan view of` theV cutter.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on line.

Figure 11 is aI fragmentary planV view showing in plan',.a portion of the cutter head and cutters formed differently from those shown by preceding figures. l

Figure 12zisa section on line'l 12-12 of Figure 11.

Figure. 13' isI a2 top plan view, showing a plurality of machines or units, grouped around single cutter head.

rllhe same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.`

The machine hereinafter described is adapted to act on an elongated strip or ribbon 15 of wood, a portion of which isshownl in perspective by Figure 10. In this figure the dotted lines indicate the transverse cuts made by the grooving cutters hereinafter described, each cut severing a completed shank stiffener from the strip. The strip is prepared for the machine by molding it while. in a moist and flexible condition, to impart to one of its sides a reentrant curvature, and to its opposite side a salient cury vature. The reentrant side of the strip is preferably reduced, to form thin longitudinal. edges on they strip, as best shown by Figures 6 and 10.

The machine comprises a rotary cutter head 16, having grooving cutters 17, projecting from the periphery of the head, and. formed as shown by Figures l and 5, to cut a V-shaped groove 18, extending from edge to edge of the strip, and severing from the body of the strip a shank stilfener 15a, which has the form shown by Figures 7, 8 and 9, Figure lv is ai top` plan view of a machine.

the bevelled edges of the stiffener shown by Figure 9, being' formed by the cutters 17. The cutters preferably project radially from the'periphery of the head 16, and are provided with shanlrs confined by set screws 19 (Figure 1) in radial sockets formedl inthe head.. The cutters are revolved in a circular path indicated by the dotted line 2O in Fig ure 6. The cutter head 16 is fixed to a preferably vertical shaft 21, journaled in bear ings ina frame'22,.and1driven by any suitable' means, such as a crossed belt 26, running on a pulley 23 (Figure l), fixed to a driving.- shaft 24, and on a pulley 25, fixed tothe shaft 21.

27 designates a bed block having a reentrant-ly curvediface 28,having the same curvature as the path 2O of the cutters. rFhe bed block 27 is movable, to alternately projectitheface 28 intoithe pathi20, as shown by Figures 4 and 5, and retract the face from said path,.as shown by Figure tgtheblock being moved on fined guides 29, on the frame by ineanshereinafter described. The strip 15 is held in' close Contact with the curved face 28, by a presser 80, when the block` is projected.` Said'presser is prefera bly a finger fixed to a shank 3l, which is movable in a fixed guide 32 (Figure 3) on the frame, and is yieldingly pressed outward by a spring 33. Y

The strip 15 is fed endivise step by step, crosswise of the face 28, by a movable feeding device adapted to engage the strip, said feeding device being preferably embodied in serrated feed rolls 34; and 35, bearing on opposite sides of the strip, as shown by F igure 2. The feed rolls are fixed to shafts 36 and 37, journaled in suitable bearings and connected by intermeshing gears 38 (Figure l) fixed to the shafts.

l provide mechanism common to the feed rolls and the bed block, including means for moving the feed rolls to alternately feed and arrest the strip, and means for alternately projecting and retracting the bed block, the block being retracted as shown by Figure 6, to permit the feeding of the strip While the latter is out of the path of the cutters, and projected, as shown by Figure e, after the feeding of the strip, to permit the severing of the strip by the cutters. The preferred embodimentJ of said mechanism is as next described.

Fixed to the feed roll shaft 36 is a ratchet e0, engaged by a spring-pressed paWl 4:1, pivoted to a paul carrier 42, which is slidable on fixed guides 48 on the frame. le designates a vertical operating shaft journaled in fixed bearings on the frame, and` driven by a belt 26a running on a pulley 25a on the cutterhead shaft 2l, and on a pulley lm fixed to the operating shaft del. rlhe operating shaft is provided with a disk 45, to which is ec-centrically secured a Wrist-pin 46, connected by a rod e? With the paWl carrier 42. The carrier is reciprocated by the Wrist-pin and rod, so that the pavvl intermittently rotates the feed rolls, which therefore alternately feed and arrest the strip 15.

To the operating shaft /ld is fixed an eccentrice embraced by a collar or strap 49, which is connected by a rod .'30 With the bed block. rfhe arrangement of the eccentric, its strap, and the connecting rod 50, is such that the bed block is held alternately retracted, to permit the feeding of the strip while the latter is out of the path of the cutters, and projected after the feeding of the strip, to permit the severing of the strip by the cutters.

rEhe main portion of the strip l5 may be supported in the form of a roll (not shown) above the feed rolls, the strip passing, as unrolled, to the nip of the feed rolls. The

edges of the strip may be guided by fixedV slotted guides 52, immediately above the rolls. Y

Instead of the independent spaced apart cuttersV 17, l may employ grooving cutters 17, formed as closely spaced integral teeth on a ring 53, secured to the cutter head, as

shown b 1 Fieures 1l and l2 the teeth bein0` l :D d a n formed to cut a v-shaped groove.

The retraction of the bed block 27 is suf- .icent to release a severed stiffener, so that it is no longer clamped between the block face 28 and the presser 30, so that, as indicated by Figure 6, the stiffener l5a is free to drop through an outlet opening in the frame, when the block is retracted, the function of the presser being to ensure close contact between the back of the strip and the face 28, during the cutting operation.

rfhe arrangement ofthe feed rolls relative to the path of the cutters should be such that when the bed block is fully projected, the projecting portion of the strip l5, below the cutters, will be forced slightly forward by the bed block from the position it occupies when the bed block is retracted, so that upon the retraction of the bed block, said projecting portion will spring backward out of t-he path of the cutters, the strip being fed While thus sprung backward. The cutters act on the strip While the latter is being moved forward, so that the severing groove is formed progressively, an initial groove being formed byone cutter and deepened by the next cutter or cutters until the groove extends through the thickness of the strip, so that a stiffener is detached.

i plurality of stip-supporting and feeding units, each organized as above described, may be assembled around a single cutter head lb, as shoivn by yFigure i3, thus providing a multiple machine which includes a plurality of strip-supporting and feeding units and a cutter head Whose cutters cooperate With each of the units so that several stiffeners are simultaneously produced.

l claim:

l. A machine for making non-metallic shank stilfeners, comprising a rotary cutter head having grooving cutters revolved in a circular path by the rotation of the head, a bed block having a curved strip-supporting face Whose curvature lis the same as that of the path of the cutters, the block being movable to alternately project said face into, and retract it from the path of the cutters, a feeding device adapted to engage an elongated transversely curved strip of stiflener material, and operating mechanism common t-o the feeding device and the bed block and including means for actuating the feeding device to alternately feed and arrest the strip, and means for alternately projecting and retracting the bed block, said block bei-ng retracted to permit the feeding of the strip While the same is out of the path of the critters, and projected after the feeding of the strip, to permit the severing of the strip by the cutters.

2. A machine for making non-metallic shank stiffeners, comprising a rotary cutter head having grooving cutters revolvedin a common to the feed rolls and the bed block and including means for intermitftentl rotating the feed rolls, to alternately feec and arrest the strip, and means for alternately projecting and retracting the bed block, said block icing retracted to permit the feeding of the strip, While the same is out of the path of the cutters, and projected after the feeding of the strip, to permit the severing of the strip by the cutters.

A machine for making nonsmetallic shank stiifeners, comprising a rotary cutter head having grooving cutters revolved in a circular path by the rotation of the head, a bed block having a curved strip-siugporting face Whose curvature is the same that of the path of the cutters, guides on which the block is movable to alternately project said face into, and retrzct it from the path of the cutters, feed rolls adapted to engage an elongated transversely curved strip of stiffener material, shafts carrying the feed rolls and connected by gears, a ratchet fixed to one of the feed roll shafts, a paivl carrier having a pivote/:l pawl engaging said ratchet, guides on which the paivl carrier is movable, to reciprocate the paWl, an operating shaft, an eccentric Wrist-pin fixed to the shaft, a rod connecting the Wrist-pin with the paWl carrier, the arrangement being such that the rolls are intermittently rotated and alternately feed and arrest the strip, an eccentric fixed to the operating shaft, an eccentric strap embracing the eecentric, and a rod connecting the strap With the bed block, the arrangement being such that the block is alternately retracted, to permit the feeding of the strip While the same is out of the path of the cutters, and projected after the feeding of the strip, to permit the severing of the strip hy the cutters.

4C. A machine for making non-metallic shank stilfeners, comprising a rotary cutter head having grooving cutters revolved in a circular pat-h by the rotation of the head, a bed block having a curved strip-supporting face Whose curvature is the same as that of the path of the cutters, the block being movable to alternately project said face into, and retract it from the path of the cutters, a feeding device adapted to engage an elongated transversely curved strip of stilfener material, a presser adapted to maintain the strip in contact With the bed block face, When the block is projected, and operating mechanism common to the feeding device and the bed block and including means for actuating the feeding device, to alternately feed and arrest the strip, and means for alternately projecting and retracting the hed block, said bloclr being retracted, to permit the feeding of the strip While the same is out of the path of the cutters, and projected after the feeding of the strip, to permit the severing of the strip hy the cutters.

5. A multiple machine for the purpose stated, comprising a rotary cutter head having grooving cutters revolved in a circular path hy the rotation of the head, and a pluralty of strip-supporting and feeding units arranged to cooperate with the cutters, each unit including a bed block having a curved strip-supporting face Whose curvature is the same as that of the path of the cutters, the block being movable to alternately project said face into, and retract it from the said path, a feeding device adapted. to engagean elongated transversely curved Strip of stili-ener material, and operating mechanism common to the feeding device and the bed block, and including means for actuating the feeding device to alternately feed and arrest the strip, and means for alternately projecting and retracting the hed block, said bloclr being retracted to permit the feeding of the strip While the same is out of the path of the cutters, and projected after the feeding of the strip, to permit the severing of the strip by the cutters. v

In testimony whereof I have aliixed my signature.

WILLIAM H. NIOKERSON.

Elfi) 

